Unit heater



, P 3, 4- D. T. Madman 1,953,118

UNIT HEATER Filed May ll 1932 "5 Sheets' Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

M J. M10424 m), hm We ATTORNEY; I

D. T. M LEOD A ril 3, 1934.

UNIT HEATER Filed May 11 1952 !NVENTOR.

ATTORNEY;

April 3, 1934. D. T. MaCLEOD 1,953,118

. UNIT HEATER Filed May 11, 1932 3 Sheets- Sheet 5 61 INVENTOR.

M, 5F? BY M 7 6%, AM] @401,

ATTORNEY;

Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,953,118 UNIT HEATER.

Daniel T. MacLeod, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Perfex Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin.

Application May 11, 1932, Serial No. 610,601

12, Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in unit heaters.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a unit heater which is easily and conveniently installed, highly efiicient and reliable in operation, comparatively. inexpensive to manufacture, install and maintain, simple and durable in its construction, readily taken down for purposes of replacement or repair of any of its parts,

1 and adapted to be suspended from an overhead support without placing any undue strain on the steam line, intake manifold or the core itself.

The invention provides a fuel saving uniform heat distributing unit at an unusually low cost and can be used efiectively and advantageously in offices, stores, factories, hangars, garages,

theatres, churches, schools, et cetera, or wherever limited wall or floor space will not permit adequate floor and wall radiations.

motor which constitute the major elements of the heater are 'so organized as to allow the core to expand and contract under the influence of teffiperature changes without straining any of the parts and also to allow the core to be taken out of the unit without disturbing the assembly of the motor, fan and housing or of other minor structural features such as the louvers, ,fan shroud, et cetera.

Another object is to provide for the support and compact organization of a plurality of unit heaters in a novel manner from an overhead support or from one side of a building column.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation showing a unit heater embodying the present invention, parts being broken away and parts shown in section for the sake of illustration;

Figure 2 is a view in central longitudinal vertical section, the core, fan and motor and other parts being shown inside elevation for the sake of illustration;

Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section taken on line 3-301 Figure ,1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the manner of taking the core out of the unit;

Figure 5 is a view in frontelevation showing 55 the manner of organizing and supporting a plu- The housing, heat radiating core, fan andrality of units, partsbeing broken away and shown in section for the sake of illustration; and

Figure 6 is a view in section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to the form of invention shown in Figures 1 to -4, inclusive, it will be seen that the-unit heater embodying the present invention comprises in general an open ended sheet metal as housing H containing a radiator core R and supporting by means of a bracket B an electric motor M which rotates the fan F. Between the fan F and the core R is a fan shroud S. -The opening at the front of the housing is equipped with louvers L.

The housing H comprises an inverted troughshaped top section 10, a trough-shaped bottom section 11 and side plates 13 and 14. The ends of theside plates 13 and 14 overlap the top and bottom sections 10 and 11, the upper ends of the plates, being spot welded to the top section and the lower ends thereof being releasably connected to the bottom section 11 by screws or other releasable fastening devices 15.

The radiator core R is preferably constructed of staggered seamless copper tubes 20 equipped with horizontal radiating copper fins 21 and brazed at their ends to tube'plates 22 which are, in turn, welded to the upper and lower tanks designated at 23 and 24, respectively. The top tank 23 has an inlet connection or nipple 25 (see Figure 2) which passes up through an opening in the top section 10. The inlet nipple 25 is threaded internally for connection with a steam supo0 ply line 26 and is threaded externally to receive a collar or nut 27 which is turned down until it en fiathe upper surface of the top section 10 whereby the radiator core is suspended or supported on the upper part of the housing. As il- 95 lustratedizo advantage in Figures 1 and 2, the

I lower tank 24 is spaced slightly from the bottom section 11 and the outlet connection or outlet provided with a flange 10' (see Figure 2) to increase its strength. The bracket B which supports the motor M has a plate-like body portion 30 bolted as at 31 to the motor casing and is provided with three supporting arms designated at 32, 33 and 34, the end of the arm 32 being bolted or otherwise suitably secured as at to the top section 10 and the ends of the arms 33 and 34 being bolted or otherwise suitably secured as at 36 to the flanges 13 and 14' of the side plates. As shown in the drawings, these arms 32, 33 and 34 curve rearwardly from the housing and are so designed as to properly position the motor and its fan in relation to the housing and core. The armature shaft of the motor M has the hub of the fan F directly secured thereto.

The fan shroud S is, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, disposed rearwardly of the core R. and in proper relation to the fan F, this shroud having integral attaching flanges 37 releasably secured by screws or the like 38 to the side plates 13 and 14. This positioning of the fan shroud and its manner of support makes it convenient to use different depths of cores or heating elements without varying the location of the other elements of the heater.

As illustrated in Figure 3, the forward edges of the side plates 13 and 14 are folded into a box-like cross section 40 to strengthen the housing structure and better adapt these forward edges to serve as the support for the louvers L. The louvers L consist of flat metal plates 41 having upturned flanges 42 at their ends, these flanges 42 bearing flush against the inner faces of the edges 40 and being pivotally supported on these edges by bolts and nuts 43. Friction washers 44 may be interposed between the nuts and the flanges 42 so that with the nuts properly turned up the louvers will be held by friction in any selected adjustment.

It is to be understood, of course, that the unit, when. installed, has its inlet connection 25 connected to the steam supply line and its outlet connection 28 connected to the return line. The steam lines are, however, relieved of undue strain by virtue of the support of the unit independently of the supply and return lines. This support is effected by attaching eye-bolts to the top section -10 and engaging these eye-bolts with the hooked lower ends 51 of suspension rods 52 which depend from any suitable overhead support. Reinforcing and securing lugs or nuts provide for the eflective interconnection of the eye-bolts with the top section 10 of the housing. It will be noted that the eye-bolts are transversely alined and symmetrically spaced with respect to the longitudinal center line of the heater. They are, however, located rearwardly of the supply pipe 26 and in a position to exert a balanced and effective support for the unit.

With a heater constructed in this manner, the core may be readily removed for purposes of replacement or repair without taking off the. motor, fan, fan shroud or louvers. It is only necessary to remove the screws 15 and drop the lower section 11 and then unscrew the collar 2'? and disconnect the nipple 25 from the supply pipe 26. The core may then be dropped through the open end of the housing, as illustrated in Figure 4.

Figures 5 and 6 show the novel manner of supporting and ,closely and compactly organizing a plurality of unit heaters of the type just described. As shown in these figures, two such unit heaters designated at U and U and constructed in accordance with the foregoing description and the showing in Figures 1 to 4 are enclosed in a steel supporting frame made up of top and bottom channels and 61, a central dividing bar 62 extending between and welded or otherwise suitably secured to the channels and end chan nels 64 and 65, the end channels being secured to the top and bottom channels by means of angles 66 and rivets 67. The end channels 64 and may extend above the top channel 60 and connect with suitable hangers from an overhead support or may be connected to angle irons secured to and projecting from a column of the building.

While I have shown and described certain structures as typical embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the structures shown have been selected for the purposes of illustration and example and that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

The invention claimed is:

l. A heater of the character described comprising a housing having a removable bottom, a heating element within the housing having a supply connection extending through the top thereof, means coacting with the "supply connection for supporting the heating element on the housing with its lower end in spaced relation to the bottom, and means for advancing air through the housing.

2. A heater of the character described comprising an open ended housing, a heating element within the housing, a releasable means for supporting the heating element on-the housing with one end of the heating element in spaced relation to the adjacent portion of the housing so that the heating element may expand and contract under the influence of temperature changes, air deflecting means at the discharge end of the housing, air advancing means at the other end of the housing, and means for supporting the housing.

3. A heater of the character described comprising an open ended housing having a top, bottom and sides, said bottom being removable, a

heating element within the housing, releasablev means for supporting the heating element on the top and with the lower end of the element in spaced relation to the bottom, a fan shroud supported on said housing to the rear of the heating element, a motor driven fan supported on the housing and arranged in cooperative relation to the fan shroud and heating element, and air deflecting means at the discharge end of the housing.

4. A heater of the character described comprising a housing, a separate heating element disposed in said housing and suspended from the top thereof, said heating element having an outlet connection, said housing having an opening in its bottom through which said connection loosely extends, and means for advancing air through said heating element.

5. A heater of the character described including a housing, a radiator core within the housing, releasable means for supporting the core on the upper part of the housing, means providing for the withdrawal of the core through the lower part of the housing, and air deflecting means at the discharge end of the housing and out of the path of movement of the core when the latter is removed from the housing.

6. A heater of the character described including a housing, a radiator core within the housing, releasable means for supporting the core on the upper part of the housing, means providing for the withdrawal of the core through the lower part of the housing, a motor driven fan for advancing air through the core, and a shroud for said fan carried by the housing and positioned out of the path of movement of the core when the latter is removed fromthe housing.

7. A heater of the character described including a housing, a radiator core within the housing, releasable means for supporting the core on the upper part of the housing, means providing for the withdrawal of the core through the lower part of the housing, and air deflecting means at the discharge end of the housing and out of the path of movement of the core when the latter is removed from the housing, a motor driven fan for advancing air through the core, and a shroud for said fan carried by the housing and positioned out of the path of movement of the core when the latter is removed from the housing.

8. A heater of the character described compris ing an open ended housing having metallic side plates formed along their edges at the, discharge end of the housing with flanges shaped to give such edges a box-like CI'OSSfCCtiOIl, louvers pivotally mounted on said flanged edges, heating means in said housing, and means for advancing air through the heating means and out through the discharge end of the housing.

9. A heater of the character described comprising a metallic housing consisting of an upper inverted trough-like top, a trough-like bottom, side plates having their upper ends secured to the top, releasable fastening devices for securing the lower ends of the plates to the bottom, said top and bottom having openings, a radiator core having inlet and outlet connections extending loosely through the top and bottom openings, respectively, a collar adjustably secured to the inlet connection and engaging the top to suspend the radiator core from the top with its lower end spaced from the bottom, and means for advancing air through said core.

10. A heater of the character described comprising a metallic housing consisting of an upper inverted trough-like top, a trough-like bottom, side plates having their upper ends secured to the top, releasable fastening devices for securing the lower ends of the plates to the bottom, said top and bottom having openings, a radiator core having inlet and outlet connections extending loosely through the top and bottom openings, respectively, a collar adjustably secured to the inlet connection and engaging the top to suspend the radiator core from the top with its lower end spaced from the bottom, means for advancing air through said core, supply and return lines connected to the inlet and outlet connections, respectively, and means connected with the top of the housing for supporting the heater in position."

11. A heater of the character described comprising a housing, a radiator core within the housing, releasable means for supporting the core on the upper part of the housing, means for advancing air through said core, means coacting with the housing for supporting the heater assembly, and means providing for the withdrawal of the core through the lower end of the housing without disturbing the support of the housing or the assembly of the other elements therewith.

12. A heater of the character described comprising an open ended housing, a heating element including a radiator core and upper and lower tanks, said core and tanks being positioned within the housing and having supply and return connections projecting through the walls of the housing, means for supporting the heating element on the upper part of the housing with its lower end in spaced relation to the lower part thereof so that it may expand and contract freely under the influence of temperature changes, and air advancing means supported by the housing and positioned at one end-thereof for advancing air through the housing and through the heating element therein.

DANIEL T. MhcLEOD.

,ias 1 

